Brain Injury Attorneys Serving Phoenix & All of Arizona
Did you or a loved one sustain a traumatic brain injury in an accident that was not your fault? An experienced Phoenix brain injury lawyer can fight for a fair result for your case.
At Burg Simpson, catastrophic injuries are a major focus of our law firm. Brain injuries are often catastrophic, leading to permanent, life-altering changes. In some cases, these injuries can even be life-threatening.
Head injuries are always a cause for concern. You should seek medical attention for the injury immediately. Then, you should speak to a Phoenix brain injury lawyer as soon as possible. A knowledgeable attorney can evaluate your case and identify your options for pursuing compensation.
For a FREE and confidential case evaluation, call Burg Simpson at 602-777-7000 today. Our brain injury attorneys serve clients in Phoenix and throughout Arizona.
What Is a Traumatic Brain Injury?
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an injury to the brain caused by an external force. This includes a bump, jolt, or blow to the head that disturbs the brain’s normal functioning. Disruption may be relatively mild and short-lived, or it may be profound and long-lasting.
The International Brain Injury Association estimates that 5.3 million people in the United States are living with a TBI-related disability. Worldwide, brain injuries are the leading cause of disability and death.
Types of Traumatic Brain Injuries
Head injuries may be open or closed. With a closed head injury, brain damage occurs as a result of forceful movement or shaking inside the skull. Open head injuries, meanwhile, occur when an object pierces the skull and enters the brain.
Whether open or closed, head injuries can result in several different types of brain trauma. These include:
- Concussion: Often considered a mild TBI, concussions should still be taken seriously. The effects of a subsequent concussion (whether soon after the initial injury or one or more concussions over the course of a lifetime) can have devastating repercussions.
- Bruising (contusion): A bruise on the brain can lead to localized bleeding and swelling. These symptoms need to be monitored closely.
- Hematoma: A hematoma forms when blood pools outside of the blood vessels. Traumatic brain injury can lead to hematomas between the skull and the brain (epidural hematoma, subdural hematoma, or subarachnoid hematoma) or in the brain itself (intracerebral hematoma).
- Brain hemorrhage: Bleeding may occur in the layers surrounding the brain (intracranial hemorrhage) and/or in the brain itself (intracerebral hemorrhage) after a traumatic injury. A brain bleed can be life-threatening.
- Coup-contrecoup injury: This injury occurs when the brain is forced against one side of the skull and then the other, creating two areas of damage.
- Diffuse axonal injury: One of the most serious types of traumatic brain injury, a diffuse axonal injury is caused by violent shaking or strong rotational force that tears nerve fibers in the brain (axons). Damage to the brain is typically widespread, potentially resulting in coma or death.
- Penetrating brain injury: Skull fractures leave the brain vulnerable to damage from outside objects. The nature and seriousness of the damage depends on both the location of the injury and how deep the object penetrates into the brain.
All head and brain injuries should be treated as medical emergencies. It is also in your best interest to consult a Phoenix personal injury law firm with experience representing clients in brain injury claims.
What Are the Symptoms of a Brain Injury?
The symptoms of a brain injury vary depending on which part of the brain sustained damage and how serious the injury is. Knowing the difference between mild brain injuries and moderate to severe brain injuries is crucial.
Symptoms of Mild Brain Injury
Mild brain injuries may result in a loss of consciousness (LOC) of 30 minutes or less. In some cases, no loss of consciousness may take place.
Other symptoms to watch out for include:
- Headaches
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Loss of balance
- Blurry vision
- Sensitivity to light
- Ringing in the ears
- Unusual smells and/or taste in the mouth
- Slurred speech
- Confusion
- Memory loss
- Changes in behavior
- Sleep disturbances—either sleeping too much or not enough
Mild traumatic brain injuries may occur in a wide range of accidents, but they also happen in more mundane situations. For example, athletes who participate in contact sports are at risk for mild TBIs.
A concussion may be classified as a “mild” brain injury, but that does not mean they should be taken lightly. If you are concerned about the symptoms above—whether you are experiencing them yourself or notice them in someone else—it is better to be safe than sorry and see a doctor ASAP.
Symptoms of Moderate & Severe Brain Injury
With a moderate brain injury, loss of consciousness may last for more than 30 minutes but less than 24 hours. If LOC persists for more than 24 hours, that is a sign of a severe brain injury.
Following a traumatic brain injury, medical professionals use the Glasgow coma scale to measure loss of consciousness and responsiveness to stimuli. A score of 8 or below signifies that the patient is in a coma.
Other symptoms associated with moderate and severe brain injuries include:
- Chronic or persistent headaches
- Dilation of one or both pupils
- Seizures
- Persistent nausea and vomiting
- Impaired motor function
- Loss of balance
- Blurry or double vision
- Hearing loss
- Sensory changes
- Extreme disorientation
- Post-traumatic amnesia lasting more than 1 day
- Trouble concentrating or thinking clearly
- Behavioral and personality changes
Go to the emergency room right away if you or someone you love is exhibiting any concerning symptoms after a head injury. Prompt care is essential for reducing the risk of complications and identifying the necessary treatment.
What Causes Brain Injuries?
Falls are a leading cause of traumatic brain injuries, accounting for nearly half of all hospitalizations for TBI. Motor vehicle accidents, gunshots, and physical assaults are also strongly associated with brain injuries.
A Phoenix brain injury attorney can help you explore your rights and legal options if you suffered a TBI due to any of the following:
- Car Accidents
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Truck Accidents
- Pedestrian Accidents
- Bicycle Accidents
- Construction Accidents
- Accidents on Dangerous Premises
- Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect
- Defective Products
- Explosions
Victims of medical malpractice may also have a brain injury claim. Medical errors can cause the brain to be deprived of oxygen, resulting in serious and potentially irreversible damage. Examples include failure to diagnose a heart attack or stroke, uncontrolled bleeding during surgery, and anesthesia errors.
Both head trauma and oxygen deprivation can have serious consequences for newborn babies. A brain injury during birth may result in cerebral palsy and other lifelong challenges.
Who Is Liable for a Brain Injury?
Multiple parties may be held liable for a brain injury and the subsequent damages. Immediate investigation by a Phoenix brain injury attorney may reveal that one or more parties are responsible, including:
- driver can—and should—be held accountable for injuries and damages sustained in accidents they cause.
- Individuals who commit crimes: In addition to criminal charges, the perpetrators of physical assault, sexual assault, and other acts resulting in injuries—including TBI—can face civil liability for “intentional torts.”
- Property owners: Dangerous conditions such as slipping and tripping hazards, negligent security, and other issues can cause TBIs and other serious injuries for which the owner of the property may be liable.
- Employers: Sometimes negligent individuals engage in negligent behavior while they are on the job. If this is the case, both the individual who caused the injury and their employer may be included in a brain injury lawsuit. We often see this in truck accident claims.
- Product manufacturers: Companies that design, produce, and sell defective products that cause brain injuries or other harm to consumers can be held liable.
- Medical professionals: Patients who suffer a brain injury due to medical negligence can bring claims against any licensed healthcare provider they believe is responsible. This includes doctors, nurses, and other providers.
Liability is just one of a number of complex issues in a brain injury claim. Experienced lawyers will identify all of the defendants and pursue legal action on your behalf.
How Much Is My Brain Injury Case Worth?
There is no average settlement for a traumatic brain injury case because brain injuries are not an “average” injury. Every case is very different, including the cost of the injury and how the victim’s life is impacted in the short- and long-term.
A Phoenix brain injury lawyer will dutifully assess multiple factors to determine how much your claim may be worth. These include:
- The type of brain injury you have suffered
- Symptoms and complications such as seizures, blood clots, decline in cognitive function, etc.
- What medical care you have received to date
- Your future medical and rehabilitation needs
- How the injury affects your day-to-day life and ability to care for yourself
- The impact of the brain injury on your ability to work
- How your family is affected
- Life expectancy before and after the brain injury
Brain injuries are complex. Attorneys at Burg Simpson work with multiple experts to establish all of the ways your life has been altered as a result of the brain injury. Generally speaking, individuals who suffer more serious injuries are entitled to greater compensation.
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Compensation for Brain Injuries
You and your family may be entitled to substantial compensation for a brain injury caused by another’s negligence. Recovery of economic damages can make up for the current and future costs of the injury, while non-economic damages compensate you for the adverse effects of the injury on your well-being and that of your loved ones.
Our brain injury lawyers can help you claim the following damages:
- All medical expenses to date
- The cost of therapy and rehabilitation
- Future medical expenses
- The cost of nursing assistance and other in-home care
- Out-of-pocket expenses for medical equipment, home and vehicle modifications, travel for medical appointments, etc.
- Lost wages
- Reduction in earning capacity
- Loss of household services
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional anguish
- Loss of the enjoyment of life
- Disability
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of companionship, support, consortium, and care
Brain injuries often prove fatal. Nearly 200 people in the United States die as a result of a traumatic brain injury every day.
If someone you love suffered a brain injury in an accident caused by someone else, a Phoenix brain injury attorney can help you and your family obtain the compensation you are due. Compensation that may be obtained through a wrongful death claim includes funeral expenses, loss of income, loss of a loved one’s companionship, and more.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit?
Personal injury claims in Arizona are bound by a 2-year time limit. The same time limit of 2 years applies to wrongful death claims.
You do not have any time to lose if you suffer a brain injury. Failing to exercise your legal rights within the statute of limitations will deprive you of the compensation you deserve. It is in your interest to seek guidance from a qualified injury attorney as soon as possible.
Why Choose Burg Simpson?
How a Phoenix Brain Injury Lawyer Can Help
Dealing with a brain injury is physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausting. In addition to dealing with pain and limitation of your faculties, treatment for a brain injury often involves a seemingly endless number of doctor appointments, rehabilitation sessions, and visits with specialists.
Recovery can be a long and difficult road. You should be able to focus on your health without having to devote attention to a legal matter. Hiring a brain injury lawyer is the best way to ensure that your rights are protected and you have the time you need to heal.
At Burg Simpson, we are Good Lawyers. Changing Lives.®. Our attorneys handle all aspects of brain injury claims, including:
- Investigating the incident that led to the injury
- Gathering evidence such as photos, eyewitness statements, medical records, investigative reports, etc.
- Speaking to doctors, therapists, and other professionals to understand the extent and severity of the brain injury, as well as the long-term prognosis
- Recruiting expert witnesses to review the evidence; expert testimony can prove immensely helpful for establishing causation, liability, and damages in a brain injury case
- Calculating the full value of economic and non-economic damages
- Negotiating a fair settlement; insurance companies may try to offer less than you deserve, but our lawyers strive to even the playing field and obtain a fair outcome
- Preparing your case for trial and, if necessary, fighting for a favorable verdict at trial
Burg Simpson has earned local and national recognition for representing clients in personal injury cases, achieving more than $2 billion in verdicts and settlements. Defendants and insurers are aware of our reputation. They know that we do not back down without fighting for the result each client deserves.
Cost is one of the major concerns people have about hiring a lawyer. Thankfully, it costs you nothing to hire us. A Phoenix brain injury attorney at our firm will review your case for FREE, and you only pay fees if we successfully resolve your case.
Contact Burg Simpson Today
As a preeminent personal injury law firm, Burg Simpson has extensive experience advocating for those who have suffered catastrophic injuries due to the negligence of others. We understand the unique challenges of brain injury claims and fight to maximize your compensation.
Call 602-777-7000 today for a FREE and confidential case evaluation. The brain injury lawyers at Burg Simpson serve clients throughout Arizona from our office in Phoenix.
